This chapter delves into the historical impact of technologies like tanks, computers, and AI in warfare, emphasizing the increasing role of machine intelligence. It discusses the ethical dilemmas surrounding the use of AI in armed forces, the blurring line between intelligence and command functions, and the concerns about relying on computers for decision-making in military operations. The conversation also explores the current deployment of AI technologies in military applications by countries like Ukraine, Russia, and China, raising questions about AI defense supremacy and its implications in future warfare involving major powers.
Artificial intelligence is already making a difference in the theatre of war, and more involvement will certainly come. That raises a host of thorny ethical issues. In some cases, scientists just clocked, extinct beasts’ DNA can be extraordinarily well preserved—revealing once-inaccessible biological secrets (10:43). And remembering Pål Enger, who never quite knew why he felt compelled to steal “The Scream” (19:25).
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